North of the Border is Mexico
by MissANightmare
Summary: Right after the gang is done with Pacific Playland, follows the story of an OC. At some point they meet and Tallahassee, Wichita, Columbus and Little Rock get the surprise of their lives. Buck lives but not everything is alright and Tallahassee has to make a decision. Rated M for a bit of rough language and future chapters. I own nothing but my OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer/AN: I own nothing from the Zombieland franchise except my OC. I really hope you like it and please take a minute to review, I am open to any suggestion. I´m not a native English speaker so let me know about any grammar or spelling mistake.**

 **This is just the intro but trust me, I´m trying my best to make this one last. Bear with me.**

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Her life was complicated, to say the least. And to be fair, it wasn't just because of the zombies. She'd been a waitress/singer for 5 months at a popular 80's/90's bar in Mexico City always hoping to find that one chance at acting. Once she found it, a small chance really, she signed her death sentence. She wasn't dead yet, or a zombie but she knew that wouldn't take too long.

She now found herself somewhere in a foreign country and, even worse, with a 5 year old boy who she'd been looking after for the past 8 months. Somewhere she couldn't name around California, a red Honda Civic parked at the side of the highway was where they currently spent the night. Amaya always took the driver's seat and slept at a 135 degree angle. Just enough to be confortable and keep her alert at the same time. Buck, or baby chango as she called him, always took the back seat along with the only blanket they had. There would always be Twinkie wrappings around the car floor that fell from his grasp after finishing them and falling asleep.

To be fair and square Amaya didn't mind. Little Buck reminded her of her beloved 7 year old nephew Ismael back in Mexico City. Being 8 years younger that her only sister came along with being a cool, spoiling aunt. She was always the one to take him to themed parks or make family reunions less boring for him. With his pale, innocent face and his black curly-wild hair it only took a happy glance from his dark brown eyes to make her smile in the worst of days. He wasn't a spoiled brat but being Amaya's only nephew had its advantages.

Ismael... That thought brought tears to her eyes, and for just a moment she glanced back to a sleeping Buck. She considered taking him back to Mexico where all her family was, but if the good ol' US army couldn't protect its own country from chaos, what made her think the Armada Mexicana could? Plus, there was nothing for her there. Her sister Laura and little Ismael happened to be in Mexico City when it was declared a complete loss.

No, on this side of the border they had a chance to make it. Even looking for Buck's dad seemed like a better idea than going back to Mexico. They'd left Florida since there were no evacuation planes to save their asses, for a more familiar state. Now that they were here with no help around, ideas for keeping her sane were running out.

"We've got to get food, and fast." She thought, just as her belly growled. Most of the food they found went straight to Buck, and by the time they crossed from Texas to New Mexico, her ribs could be seen from a football field away. Amaya noticed Buck had lost some weight and she'd be damned if she let him die like Ismael. Raising this boy was going to be the death of her someday.

"Tomorrow morning, first hour of daylight. There's a gas station two miles away from here, that I remember. There's got to be something there." She kept in mind as she drifted to sleep.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer/AN: As usual, I own nothing from the Zombieland franchise except my OC. I really hope you like it and please take a minute to review, I am open to any suggestion. I´m not a native English speaker so let me know about any grammar or spelling mistake.**

The sun rose and through the windshield, Amaya's chocolate brown hair took a bronze sparkle as the rays went through it. She had the house with a running shower from 3 days ago to thank for that.

The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the sun visor mirror. The sight was awful. Bruise colored bags under her eyes seemed to belong to a pale skinned zombie. Her freckles stood out as color left her skin as the months passed by. She decided to cover the worst of her looks by sliding down the sunglasses from the top of her head back in place.

Rearranging her Cantinflas (mexican comedian) T-shirt she put back on her black leather jacket. Man she loved that jacket. It hung very loosely now on her tattered body, the kind of thing Alice Cooper would be seen wearing all the time. Her personal touch were patches such as a Bowie bolt, Queen logo, Batman logo and a bunch of other geek stuff. The small mexican flag was stitched proudly over the left side of her chest. Then she arched her back away from the seat to rearrange the deep blue skinny jeans and buckle up the Millennium Falcon belt.

"Wow, I'm such a geek. Even in the goddamn zombie apocalypse I had to wear something that could easily belong to Howard Wolowitz." She mused. A half smirk appeared on her face. Clothes: check. Black boots: check. Red foot bandana on the left: check. She couldn't even remember why she kept wearing that damn thing. Amaya guessed it was because it reminded her of her zombie-free youth.

Brown eyes went to the back seat. She let a saddened smile cross her face. A peacefully sleeping Buck was sprawled on his back. She didn't think she'd let another boy into her life, not after Ismael. The rockstar/geek girl knew she wasn't meant for children. Aside from her nephew, almost no other kid got her to like them, much less love them.

With Ismael she was an angel, but now Buck stirred feelings Amaya didn't even know she had. After finding useful using that mama bear rage against the zombies, she let her feelings be. Life was too short now anyway. That motherly protectiveness had saved their asses once or twice since on the run.

His scruffy yellow-blond hair fell on the car seat as his sweet blue eyes opened to meet a new day.

"Hey. Mornin' pretty boy." She whispered so as to not startle him. She reached an arm out to caress the boy's head.

Immediately, a toothy grin emerged from his face.

"Good morning Amaya." He squirmed and streched along de seat to get rid of the sleep. His sky blue t-shirt and tiny denim pants had mud stains. His white sneakers were a bit tainted with blackened blood.

"So how about we go look for some food chango boy? Maybe some twinkies?"

"Yay! Twinkies! Twinkies!" At the sound of that word he threw off the blanket and raised his little arms in the air.

"Ha ha! Easy kiddo. We need to be quiet remember? Put on your seatbelt." She tried to calm his excitement but it was too late. Amaya helped the boy secure himself to the seat and started the car.

The gas tank was almost empty. The opportunity of finding either food or fuel would be equally cherished then. Amaya checked the map of the area she had again and headed west for the next gas station.

As carefully as possible she stopped the car and motioned with a finger across her lips for Buck to stay quiet. She hated bringing him along on supply runs but if a zombie saw him inside the car and broke in through the weakened glass windows, Buck would be trapped inside for certain death. At least if he tagged along he could run. Amaya grabbed his tiny burgundy sweater and helped him in. She took the sniper rifle in the passenger seat, her 9mm gun and placed her small hunting knife inside her right boot. Slowly she got out of the car and eyed in every direction before opening the back door and letting Buck out.

"Alright little guy, same thing. You never leave my side, if you see anything you let me know, monster or not. And if I tell you to run you do as I say. Okay?" She whispered to him getting on one knee to see the boy's face. He nodded. She gave him a reassuring smile and patted his shoulder before hugging him. "I love you Buck, always remember that."

"I love you too Ami." He returned the smile.

One behind the other they tiptoed from the car around the corner to the main entrance. Amaya pushed the glass door open and stepped inside the store placing the rifle strap on her shoulder and sliding off the green camping bag they kept their supplies in. There was nothing but silence and the slight clickering of an almost burned neon light. Something didn't feel right. She pulled back her sunglasses to the top of her head and placed a lonely box filled with broken glasses to prevent the door from closing.

They quietly moved from one aisle to the other grabbing what they could. Grape juice, rum, chocolate bars, energy bars, a jar of sorted nuts, femenine hygiene products, batteries and a big tasty box of Twinkies. Buck gave Amaya a big smile, which she returned, before moving to the last aisle at the very back of the store. Amaya thought this was her lucky day after almost 3 days of eating wild berries, rain water, mints and a quiestionable racoon she caught sniffing their remaining food. Both survivors kept an eye open at all times for any trouble. She hesitated trying her luck further and going in the back room to search for guns or ammo. After all, the door was open.

A loud roar saved her the trouble as a fat zombie cashier ran from the front of the store. Its khakhi vest had dry blood all over the front. Its hands were covered in blood as well and it seemed the zombie had lost a few fingernails at some point. A shiver ran down Amaya's spine when she saw the sinister, emotionless look on the ex-cashier's obsidian eyes.

Buck gave a terrified yelp and Amaya shot the zombie. Missed. She hit the right clavicle, far from the target. Another 2 more shots fired and Amaya stood her ground, the last shot hitting the zombie's head right above the left eye. She glanced back at Buck who had hidden behind the closest shelves. Both their breaths were heavy and fast. Her forehead was shinning with sweat and black blood stained her boot soles. She then noticed a half open emergency exit about twenty feet behind Buck. The slight smirk that had crossed her lips vanished when she noticed six more zombies sprinting towards it from the outside. Right from where she had parked the car. She had to think fast. The back room door was too far but she had noticed a separate building with small windows outside where the restrooms were near the main gate.

"Buck, run." It first came as almost a whisper. When the boy didn't move she yelled. "BUCK, RUN!" At that, he got up and took off to the main glass doors. Amaya followed close behind, slowing down when she got too close to Buck so as to keep him ahead. "No, no, no, the other side!" She said, grabbing the boy's arm briefly just to pull him back. She planned to get to the restrooms and get out through the back window to give them more time to escape.

Amaya turned around to see if the zombies were behind them. They were far enough for her to get ahead of Buck and lead the way. She was still looking behind her just when she was turning around the corner when a loud screech made her look ahead of her. She had barely enough time to register what it was. The front of a black Cadillac van hit her on her right side, knocking her off her feet and to the floor. Luckily she still had enough adrenaline for the pain to go unnoticed. As fast as she could and with all the energy she had left Amaya stood and ignoring the opening doors of the van she picked Buck up. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that two zombies were already at the store entrance when she made a run to the restrooms.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer/AN: Again, I own nothing from the Zombieland franchise except my OC. I really hope you like it and please take a minute to review, I am open to any suggestion. I´m not a native English speaker so let me know about any grammar or spelling mistake.**

The door in the women's restroom was open. When she quickly checked the four empty stalls, she ran back and tied the door knob to a sturdy looking pipe with a black cable she picked up from the floor. It was quite loose but it would hold them off. Plus, she didn't have the time or the strength to make a proper knot a the moment.

"Buck! Get in here and don't come out unless I tell you!" Amaya ushered the scared boy to the empty stall furthest from the front and closed the door. She stayed right outside the stall sitting on the floor and her back against the wall. The pain on the side started to take over when the adrenaline stopped kicking in.

'Argh! Fuck! I'm as good as dead if that's a broken rib. I can't give up though, not with Buck in danger. Zombies outside and strangers as well.' Amaya's mind was running at the speed of lightning. In a world like this you had to watch your ass for zombies, yes, but also survivors with bad intentions. She wasn't sure what she was most afraid of. Blind hunger or lawless evil. Amaya was downright exhausted from running, carrying weapons, food and boy AND being run over with a van.

Her throat was dry and each ragged breath she took burned her chest like acid. She kept her 9mm half way up holding it with both arms. The feeling of numbness that started in her hands and went all the way to her elbows was unnerving. She HAD to keep her gun up if she wanted to fight back intruders. At least if the strangers took the car, there'd be nothing else in there. Even the green blanket thay had was in their bag. Actually, that car kept giving them so much trouble, it'd be even better if it got stolen. The previous owner was obviously not that interested in his car.

Shots were fired outside. They sounded like shotguns and rifles. After the eighth shot was heard, they simply stopped. That's when Amaya's heart began pounding so hard against her chest it almost felt like it would break free. Seconds passed and no sound was heard.

"Is it over?" Buck asked quietly without opening the stall door.

"Shh I don't know sweety, keep quiet." Her eyes went wide and her heart sunk when more than one set of hurried footsteps came to a stop at the restroom door. There was a light knock at the door.

"H-hello? Is anyone in there? W-we're survivors, non infected. You don't have to tell us your name. J-just tell us where you come from, it's a bit of a no-name rule." Amaya was too scared to answer. It sounded like a young man, a bit hesitant. He could mean well but it could also be a trick. His request was a bit strange. Another voice, a female this time tried again.

"Listen, we're not gonna hurt you, we're surviving as well. I know you're scared but we kinda feel bad about hitting you with our car. We just wanna make sure you're ok." A silent pause. "I'm gonna open the door and I promise I'm not armed, so don't shoot."

"Ok." Amaya's eyes widened. She was barely aware that the answer had come from her voice. A hoarse sound really, she had to cough a bit before regaining her voice. "I won't shoot if you promise to leave us and our stuff at peace." This was it, now or never. If both parties kept their words Amaya and Buck could be out of that cramped place and on their way sooner than expected.

The door opened slowly and through the gap the cable allowed a young woman in her twenties popped her head in. She had dark hair tied in a ponytail with her fringe down to her eyebrows. Her clear grayish eyes reflected concern. Amaya put her gun on her lap and raised her hands showing she always kept her word. A small comforting smile played on the strange girl's lips.

"Hey. I'm Wichita. It's the no-name rule. Just for caution." She started to detour from the topic but came back again. "We're sorry about the car thing so... Hmm, you don't look so well, are you... Infected?" Amaya shook her head no. The concern in Wichita's eyes didn't go away. Neither did she. She already knew Amaya was ok so, why didn't she just go? "Oh, ok. Ehm, where are you from?"

"M-m-Mexico. Mexico City." Amaya replied with the most submissive, shy tone she could. After all, she was an actress wasn't she? The less threatening she seemed the less threatening THEY would be. With a five-year-old hidden next to her that could save a life.

"Oh nice!" Wichita replied, a more relaxed look on her face. "Uhm, I thought you said 'we', I can't see anyone else in here." Her face became suspicious.

"Uhm, yeah, I have a boy here." Amaya assured her not wanting the situation to get ugly for a misunderstanding. She then whispered so only Buck could hear from under de stall door. "Buck, kiddo, don't tell them your name, just where you used to live ok? Come on out next to me, I promise I won't let anyone harm you." She tried her best to be as relaxed as possible for Buck to do as she said. Ever so slowly, the small blond boy crawled under the stall door and held on to Amaya's right arm for dear life.

"Oh my god." Wichita's mouth fell open with amazement. It was incredible how someone made it on their own and caring for a toddler. A tear threatened to slide down her face. She quickly regained her composture and smiled. Amaya could hear the other voices going 'What's going on?' 'Is she ok?'.

"Hey sweety, where do you come from?" The most child-appropriate voice Wichita had ever made was heard at that moment. Buck didn't know what to answer so he kept quiet. Seeing this Amaya answered for him.

"I-I found him somewhere in Tallahassee, Florida. Lost his father so I took him in." A hint of pride went with her voice.

Then Wichita's face simply went blank. No concern, no comfort, no sweetness. It was as if she had just seen a ghost. Frozen in her place. She pulled her head back out without closing the door back. Unnerved, almost angry mumbling came from the gap at the door. Then a man's head popped back in. He seemed in his thirties, with his head shaved and eyes as blue as... as... Wait a minute... His eyes seemed oddly familiar. Without further introduction he spoke.

"B-Buck?" His lower lip trembled and tears filled his eyes. The little boy's head popped up from Amaya's arm and a wide smile sprayed his face. "Daddy?" The cutest sounding voice said.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer/AN: As always, I own nothing from the Zombieland franchise except my OC. I really hope you like it and please take a minute to review, I am open to any suggestion. I´m not a native English speaker so let me know about any grammar or spelling mistake.**

"HOLY SHIT! Oh my fucking god! My boy! My baby boy is alive!" The heavy southern accent went with all its glory. The significantly taller man was spilling tears and smiling his face off when he pulled out an enormous knife and cut through the cable that prevented him from holding his son in one swing. Without warning Buck released Amaya's arm and ran to the now open door. She tried to catch his arm and pull him back to safety but he was too fast. With the exhaustion and the miracle of miracles happening before her eyes, she didn't have time to process anything. Her ribs ached, she was hungry and had just sweat half the water in her body.

The tall man stepped inside, immediately falling to his knees and wrapping his arms around Buck's entire body. It seemed his big body would swallow the child whole. She noticed he had put on a cowboyish hat on his head and was wearing matching boots. But really what first caught her sight was his extravagant snakeskin jacket.

"Oh Buck, I thought you were dead... I thought they had taken you..." The man kept repeating these words, more to reassure himself that he wasn't dreaming. They held on to each other for the longest time, Wichita, a younger girl and a skinny curly-blond guy in the back watching the scene unfold with sweet eyes. The skinny guy must have been the first voice she heard. At some point the badass looking guy who turned out to be Buck's dad turned his gaze to Amaya. She barely had time to give a surprised yelp when he rushed to her, with boy in arms, and hugged her on his knees.

"Thank you, oh sweet Jesus, thank you. I really can't thank you enough for saving my boy's life..." He said. A bit too loud for his mouth being right next to her ear. Amaya was actually paralyzed. She hugged him back with her free left arm since the other one was squished between Buck and herself. The man's strong arms were holding on to her so tightly the throbbing pain of her ribs was almost too much. The daze she was caught in was broken by an involuntary 'ouch' from her. The big guy seemed to hear it and backed off. This gave him the chance to really look at her.

She was worn and looked terrible. Her sickly pale skin was drenched in sweat, her hair was a mess, he could see most of her bones, the bags under her eyes made her look like she hadn't slept in weeks and she had blood stains all over her clothes. On the other hand, he could also see beyond that. She had cute-looking freckles all over her face and her hair somehow still shone under the tiny ray of light coming from the high window. She managed to obscure her ill appearance with a small but meaningful smile. There was a deep passion to live and a flame of courage burning in those deep chocolate eyes. The skinny guy was the first to speak.

"I- I don't mean to interrupt but uhh we should all get out of here before the zombies get to us first. Those gunshots are going to atract a shitload of them." He fidgeted from one foot to the other nervously.

"Right. Yeah. We should go. You huh, you should come with us. By the way I'm Tallahassee, you know Wichita, that little firecracker there is Little Rock and the scrawny bitch is Columbus. Ev'rybody, this is my boy Buck" He said while wiping the tears off his eyes. Columbus didn't seem bothered by the half joke insult. They all greeted Buck with a warm smile and he replied sith a shy 'Hi' and a giggle.

"Then I guess I now go by the name Mexico, right?" Amaya's voice sounded calm now. She still didn't trust them entirely but as long as Buck was alive and well she'd stay with them. Now she couldn't take him away, not from his father, and certainly not after that emotional reunion. "Remember Buck, you call me 'Mexico' now, ok chango? Not my name." He nodded with a shy smile. She returned it with a light chuckle. Tallahassee watched the interaction with curious eyes.

"Alright then, introductions done, can we go now?" Columbus insisted. Tallahassee gave him an annoyed look but nodded in agreement.

"Yer coming with us then. No way Imma let you save my son's life and walk away in yer state, sweet cheeks." He gave her a casual smile while standing up, boy in arms. He streched out his arm to help her stand up and she took his hand after putting her 9mm back between her jeans and herself. "But really though, thank you. I owe you far too much." His tone sounded sincere and heartfelt. 'Mexico' nodded and shyly looked away.

'Sweet cheeks. So much trouble finding out where I come from and this guy gives me THAT nickname.' Amaya thought. The name didn't really annoy her but the fact that it meant they could grow close was a little unnerving. She didn't want to lay her trust in these people too soon.

"We'll put your stuff in the trunk of the Caddy." Little Rock offered. She wasn't really the kind of preeteen to be nice to strangers, specially after her life conning people with Wichita, but something in this new girl 'Mexico' just felt like she should at least give her a try. Hey, the woman had balls and anyone that stood against zombies alone with a toddler and lived to tell their story deserved some respect.

Mexico was too tired to reply and instead nodded her approval with a smile as the two sisters took her supply bag and sniper rifle and exited the restroom. It took a first leap of trust from her to just hand over her favorite weapon. She dusted off what she could from her clothes and walked out of the small building followed by Tallahassee and son. His protective gaze watching her closely. The sun burned her eyes a little as she limped her way to the Caddy. For a moment she forgot about her pain and made the mistake of lifting her right arm to cover her eyes.

"Argh! Fuck dammit!" She mumbled lowering her arm with a wince of pain. The two men heard it and jogged to her.

"Hey, don't strain yerself woman. Not jus' yet at least." Tallahassee placed Buck back to the floor and opened door of the back seat of the van. He helped her get inside, Buck getting on right behind her and settling himself on her lap. The feeling of the cool leather seat made Amaya feel so comfy her eyes began to shut. She hugged Buck and he hugged her Back making themselves look like mother and baby koala bears. Tallahassee felt his heart strings being pulled at the sight of the evident strong bond. "You two stay here, the rest of us'll get our fill with the gas." And without a pause he closed the door to go to the others. She felt Buck's arms fall limp and smiled knowing he was fast asleep. Her eyes were halfway closed themselves and she fought them for a while until she heard the car doors open again, letting everyone inside. Tallahassee sat in the middle with Little Rock on the other side. Columbus took the driver's seat and Wichita rode shotgun.

"So I guess we go back to the motel for a while longer?" Columbus looked through the rear view mirror. Everyone agreed and he started the car. 'Mexico' took the opportunity of not having to drive and decided to lean her head against the window to take a nap. She could try and socialize with her new group but in her state she was barely able to form a coherent sentence. Getting intel from them could wait.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer/AN: I´m complied to write this again. I own nothing from the Zombieland franchise except my OC. I really hope you like it and please take a minute to review, I am open to any suggestion. I´m not a native English speaker so let me know about any grammar or spelling mistake.**

A slight nudge began to rouse Amaya from her sleep. After a second it stopped so she let herself drift back to Dreamland. Two seconds later, the nudging became more insistent but equally tender. She tried to open her eyes but the weight of her eyelids was almost too great. Then she felt it. A light breeze hitting her front where Buck should have been. Her eyes burst open to the sight of Columbus and his ever-worried face. Moving her arms she pushed herself away from the seat but not yet out of the car.

"W-where's Buck?" She forced her dry voice to speak but found that she sounded like a hungover teenager, then cleared her throat.

"He's with Tallahassee, we're back to our motel. Don't worry, we're all safe here." Columbus gave a half smile and that calmed her a bit. "Wichita already took your stuff inside. C'mon, you look like you need a good night's sleep and food."

Her belly growled at the sound of that last word. She stretched her sore muscles of her neck and left arm. The pain on her side wasn't as bad as before but still enough to keep her right arm down. She then stretched her legs once she was out of the car. "Thanks Columbus, I'll be inside in a minute." She gave him a reassuring smile. He nodded and walked away, shotgun in hand.

Looking around it didn't seem like an old cheap motel really. The front of the car was facing a humongous double door wooden gate. The motel itself seemed more to her like a very modest Spanish style beach hotel. A bit too pretty for a motel. Turning her back to the gate she saw a small and dry garden on both sides of a stone floor path. As she began walking down the path and under an archway with an inscription that said 'Bella California Motel', she went through a short tunnel to a much larger garden with barely enough patches of green. A fenced pool area stood in the middle and back to the main wall. The building that surrounded the tunnel turned out to be the rooms. The classic motel balcony hallways allowed Amaya to see the doors of each room.

One of the doors of the third and last floor was open, with Little Rock looking out to one side of the balcony where Wichita and Columbus were walking towards the room one behind the other. Amaya decided to walk up the stairs and inside. The day was coming to an end and it wouldn't be long before the sunset came. Just when she was about to take the first step up, a voice made her jump.

"Hey, Mexico. C'mere. The woman that saved m'boy deserves a feast jus' for herself." She saw Tallahassee come out of a common area that seemed to be for dinning and gesture with his hand to get inside. She obliged when the smell of food entered her nostrils. Inside she saw Little Buck sitting on a stool by the bar half asleep on his half eaten pancake. Tallahassee went back behind the bar to a stove where he was gracefully flipping a pancake on a frying pan. The boy lifted his head up and gave Amaya a lazy smile. She immedately felt the day's tension slip off her shoulders. Walking to sit next to him with a childish smile she patted his back and kissed the top of his head.

"Hey baby boy, don't fall asleep on that pancake of yours." She said in a calm tone. Buck gave a small chuckle and grabbed his fork with a piece of pancake offering it to her. He was such a caring boy, despite everything they had gone through he still offered a piece of his favorite food. "Aww, Buck, you don't have to do that. You need to eat as well." He shook his head no.

"Oh but Am… Mexico." An apologetic grin appeared when Amaya widened her eyes in warning. "You always give me your food, I want to share my pancake with you now." Tears prickled her eyes as well as Tallahassee's, but he would never admit that as he kept building up the pancake tower next to the stove. He kept his back to them and continued to overhear the conversation with quirk stuck on his face. Amaya smiled and opened her mouth. Buck shoved the smooth pancake square in and returned his fork to the plate.

God, she barely remembered the sweet taste of pancakes. This one almost melted on her tongue along with the butter and the oh so tasty maple syrup. She closed her eyes for a minute and let her head fall back, the memories flooded back to her mind.

 _Her childhood in Mexico City invaded her with pancakes for breakfast on Saturday mornings. Her mother would always turn on the music channel on the tv and sing along to some of the songs from her days of old. Amaya was an old soul just like her mama and very much unlike her sister. She remembered her father right behind the stove exaggerating whenever he flipped a pancake just for his daughters amusement. A glass of chocolate milk, everyone sitting at the table and the morning would fill with bliss. Amaya remembered how she would always make a syrup pool in her plate which made her mother roll her eyes and take the syrup bottle away. It was always too much for the pancakes she ate so she had to lick it off her plate when she was done. After her sister moved out with her husband it had been hard to get used to her absence. Amaya was used to being surrounded by family. Then Israel was born and became the light of her life. Every Friday before her night shift at work she would always pick him up from school and take him for ice cream or to the park before taking him to his mom's. In the car she would sing the same old songs her mother used to when she drove Amaya to school and back. Through the rear view mirror she would see her 7 year old self in the eyes of that boy. His laughter filled her ears as if he was right there with her again._ That's when she realized where her emotions were taking her and it wasn't good.

Amaya opened her eyes and turned her head to Buck. He had a worried frown and his lower lip twitched with guilt. She smiled at him, with one hand she ruffled his hair and with the other she wiped the tear running down her cheek. Buck relaxed a bit but eyed her curiously.

"Why are you sad? Don't you like pancakes A… Mexico?." She was taken aback by his question. His exact worried frown was copied and pasted on his father's look as he turned around to place the tallest pile of pancakes known to man. Suddenly Amaya felt overwhelmed by two sets of the same eyes.

"No! No, sweety. It's just… it's been a really long time since I had a pancake as good as this one. Your daddy is very good in the kitchen." Somehow that was enough for the boy, though not for Tallahassee. She mouthed 'later' when Buck was distracted with his remaining pancake. He nodded reluctantly and began walking outside the dining area.

"But you know what makes me feel happy when I'm not feeling too good, Buck?" She tried to liven up the mood again and she knew just how. When Buck turned his head he saw Amaya with a big smile and her brows raised. He just knew what she was up to.

"What?"

"Tickles!" With one swift motion she pulled him to sit on her lap while she attacked him mercilessly until he was breathless. The sound of his laughter was so sweet it could pull a zombie back into reason. It reached Tallahassee just as he was done calling everyone else to dinner. When he turned back to them and watched the scene unfold he could see the bond between his son and this new stranger to him was practically tangible. Almost like mother and son.

"Smells good in here! Nice going Tal!" Little Rock was the first one on the scene. Behind her and almost holding hands were Wichita and Columbus. The skinny boy stopped briefly at the doorway and gave Tallahassee a nod towards 'Mexico' with a questioning look. Tallahassee shook his head telling him to just 'let it go'. Wichita had a small red bag and went straight to Amaya.

"Hey, let me at least have a look at your side. I still feel a bit bad about hitting you." Buck moved back to his seat and Amaya gave the girl a nod before taking off her jacket and lifting her shirt on her right side.

"Alright. Thank you, but I really don't think it was that bad."

"No, don't say that. You just made the impossible for one of our own. We owe you at least this." Wichita let out a hiss and furrowed her brow when she saw dark purple go from the middle of Amaya's ribcage down to her hipbone. Her skin looked a bit swollen and in the center of the huge bruise there was red just below the surface. "You're lucky it's not a broken rib." Amaya only gave a wince at the pain when Wichita rubbed a strange cream carefully on her side and placed a big piece of gauze securing it with first aid tape. Honestly she was more focused on eating the trio of pancakes Columbus had served on her plate before everyone else. They had all taken a seat at the bar and Amaya had been left at the far end beside Buck, Tallahassee on the other side. Columbus and Little Rock were on the other side of it in front of her. She rearranged her shirt and continued devouring her food. She ignored the stares she got from the rest of them when they really saw how hungry she was. This was the moment to get to know this people a little better.

"So how did you guys find each other?" Her question was muffled by a piece of pancake. Each one began their stories. Turned out Wichita and Little Rock were sisters and Columbus's first zombie kill was with a toilet tank cover.

"So what's your story, Mexico? How did you get here all the way from Mexico?" Columbus asked before shoving a piece of pancake to his mouth. Wichita washed her hands and sat between Columbus and Little Rock. Amaya answered between bites and swallows.

"Umm, well... Before all this I worked at a bar in Mexico City. I was a waitress/singer, but mostly singer. I was looking for my chance at acting when a friend who was studying to be a film director called me asking if I was interested in a part in one of his proyects. I wouldn't get paid much but some of the big fish of the film industry would see it. The thing was that we had to fly to Florida where the script was supposed to happen. Somehow I got enough money to go and we began shooting..." Her face turned serious. "One day, he said he wasn't feeling ok and he'd go see a doctor but that his buddy could handle filming for a day... I didn't see him again. That night Hell broke loose in the area where we were filming and... people began eating people. My friend's crew hid in the apartment complex they were staying at and since I had never been to Florida I didn't know what to do so I hid with them for a day or two. I was worried to death about my family and whether the infection had gone south or not, I missed my home so much." She took a pause to drink some water and pull herself together and through her story. "On the third day, a latino couple and their little girl came to hide where we were and we helped the man carry his unconscious wife inside. She had a big ass bite on her right shoulder blade, horrible looking... By dawn we had to put her out of her misery after killing two of our group." A tear began sliding down her cheek. She had been so terrified that night. The hardest thing she ever had to do was beating a zombie to death with a rusty pipe with her daughter in the other room. It was the slap in the face she got from reality... People eating each other, a mother attacking her own daughter. "I panicked and I just wanted to get a car and drive back home but the girl´s dad stopped me. They had driven through Mexico City. It was lost. Burnt to the ground. Like a fucking war zone. If anyone had made it out of there it would have been a miracle. He told me even crossing the border was a downright suicide mission, so I stayed. He took his daughter and left. I cried myself to sleep... I felt frustrated and was desperate to try and see my family again... But I knew the price for that would most likely be my life. That night I woke up to everyone killing each other and I just took what I could and drove away." She stopped her story and looked up to everyone staring at her with the pancakes gone. After eight pancakes she was full and therefore there was nothing to to do to shake off the awkward feeling of their stares. She finished her water bottle and put her arms on her lap.

"Holy shit." Amaya was surprised to hear that from Little Rock. She had seemed like the egocentric preteen before.

"C'est la vie. At least nowadays." Amaya could only answer that. Everyone took a pause. Buck was oblivious to the story as his head had returned to nodding off in front of his empty plate. Tallahassee carried on and asked her.

"What 'bout Buck? How'd you find him?" His tone was surprisingly calm. That question had been killing him and he took the opportunity.

"I was looking for supplies on my own when I snuck into an elementary school. Figured I could get something from the cafeteria. He gave me quite the scare when I found him in one of the classrooms, snuggled in the corner all alone. I was never good with kids but I just didn't have it in me to leave him there. He said he ran from his home when the 'monsters ' broke in." She caressed his dirty blond hair and pulled him on her lap so he could freely fall asleep. Tallahassee patted the now empty seat next to him and motioned for her to sit there. She obliged with Buck in her arms struggling to stay awake.

"I came home as soon as shit hit the fan. When I saw 'is babysitter lying there shred to pieces... I jus' thought the worse. I searched everywhere but I couldn't find 'im." His voice had begun to tremble. "I owe you m'life for it. You jus' saved my entire world." His left arm came around her and gave a light squeeze to her left shoulder before backing off. Amaya's eyes were beginning to shut like Buck's.

"Well... I think this has been quite the emotional evening. I think we should all go take a good night's sleep." Columbus was the first one to break the tension. Wichita followed.

"Yep, these two look like they could really use some of that."

"Alright but who's bunking up with who?" Little Rock interrupted.

"I say we take two rooms. In one you and your sister take one bed and I take the other. In the other room... they'll figure it out, I guess."

"But first a shower for this little guy, with bubbles." Tallahassee knew how to get that boy to take a bath without rustle. Buck opened his eyes and smiled to his father.

"Yay! Bubbles! Bubbles!" Buck raised his arms. Everyone laughed and stood from the bar towards the rooms.

* * *

When everyone had freshened up in the motel bathrooms, each trio retired to their rooms. Amaya managed to redress her bandages despite the pain. They had decided that Tallahassee and Buck were sharing the bed closest to the door and Mexico would take the other one near the bathroom so she could rest as much as possible without Buck kicking her in his sleep. She was the last one out of the shower and with Tallahassee and Buck fast asleep and snuggled together in one bed she was confident enough to open the door wearing only her black panties, t-shirt and yellow liner socks. She held the rest of her folded clothes to her chest and walked to the space between the two beds to neatly put them down next to her supply bag and weapons. In the pitch black darkness she didn't notice Tallahassee slowly opening his eyes to her shuffling around the room and crouching in front of her clothes. A cocky smirk appeared when he saw her shirt was wet from her long hair and sticking to her back exposing her figure. The moonlight coming in through the holes in the curtains led his eyes to her front and then to her nipples showing through her shirt. His gaze moved down to the curve of her hips and all over her black panties. He took notice of the freckle just below her right butt cheek and the stirring feeling that gave to his gut. He moved on to her well shaped thighs and down her slender legs. He stopped wide eyed when he got to the back of her left calf when he saw the obvious scar to a bite mark.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer/AN: I own nothing from the Zombieland franchise except my OC. I really hope you like it and please take a minute to review, I am open to any suggestion. I´m not a native English speaker so let me know about any grammar or spelling mistake.**

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Tallahassee stiffened, paralyzed in shock. The first thought that crossed his mind was Buck's safety, both before he found his son and now that he discovered her scar. After the shock subsided, anger replaced fear. How dare she keep something like this from him, Buck's father? She was knowingly endangering his little boy's life with a lethal infection and only God knows how she got that bite. What if she got bit at that gas station? Nah, it would look bloody and painful. Still, who says she can't turn now? What if this is some sort of delayed effect and she's a ticking time bomb? The wound had a strange pinkish edge around the purple teeth marks and scabs. There were still a few sickly-green spots where the zombie's front teeth had sunk in. That bite was not new, but it was definitely recent. Tallahassee was careful not to get caught staring but it was hard enough to keep his emotions in check. Had she turned, his son would be dead by now. Every grim thought took the opportunity to attack him. Buck's eyes, those big sapphire eyes, reddened and tearful. Mexico's grayish face and soulless eyes staring at his nimble body and launching herself at him. The cries of pain he could only imagine coming from Buck were going to terrorize his sleep. This was not going to stand. This woman, this complete stranger, abused his trust. And right after they offered her food and shelter.

Ever so slowly, he released Buck, still deep in sleep, from his protective embrace. Tallahassee was laying on his left side, camouflaged by the shadows in the moonlight. He quietly shifted his weight on his left bicep praying to God the bed wasn't rusty enough to uncover his plan. He took the opportunity when Amaya stood up, her back facing his bed to brush her hair before getting into bed. Tallahassee eyed his loaded sawed-off shotgun resting on the bedside table. When his full palm was spread against the mattress, his left arm completely stretched and he was comfortable enough to be ready if things got ugly, he spoke.

"What. The fuck. Is that." He simply stated, loud enough for everyone two rooms away to hear. He wasn't taking a 'nothing' for an answer. He wanted a fully detailed explanation. He saw her jump out of her skin before her entire body froze in a millisecond. Slowly she turned her head to her left, only leaving half her face to sight. The moonlight highlighted the sheer panic in her dark eyes. She knew EXACTLY what he was asking.

* * *

Amaya was laying her clothes on her bag, there was no use in putting them away. If the shit hit the fan, there was enough risk in having them off. Her knife was under her pillow, just in case, for one could never be too careful in the end of the world. She opened the drawer of the nightstand silently to get the brush she had found in the room when it was Buck's turn to take a bath. She began untangling her unkempt chocolate brown hair. Every time she pulled at a particularly stubborn knot, she winced. It hadn't been a long time since the last shower, but nowadays every single one was precious. Leaving her clothes, she lifted herself off the floor and turned to grab the sheets of the bed. Fuck, she was exhausted. There's only so much intensity in a near-death experience one's body can take. She knew her body would just give in to sleep the second her head touched the pillow.

As she was finishing brushing her hair and lowering her arm to her side, she noticed a shadow on her bed moving. It was growing in size slowly and steadily but since she didn't hear the classic growling noises zombies make, she was confused for a second. Then she heard it, his voice. It was filled with hate and poisonous distrust. Amaya felt her heart stop for a moment and then restart again when she practically jumped to the ceiling; she analyzed the words. 'What the fuck is that'. She wasn't sure what they were referring to until it clicked. Her legs were visible and although slender and attractive, there was something she didn't trust Tallahassee enough, and that was to tell him her little secret despite the fact that it had to do with his son's safety at least once. Carefully, she turned her head to her left, remembering the knife hidden under the pillow. When she was able to catch a glimpse of half his silhouette she felt the color drain from her body. The shadow that cloaked his front made him look sinister. She could see right then how dangerous this man actually was. Amaya could only distinguish two glistening red orbs where his eyed should have been.

She scolded herself in her mind for not being completely honest with him knowing what he seemed capable of doing; but on the other hand, what did this people care? The story behind that bite was something she wasn't proud of and was eager to forget. Every time she saw it when taking off her shoes or putting them on or when the bruising around it hurt it reminded her of death. Buck's wide blue irises and thin pupils flashed back to her, filled with pure, raw despair. Afraid of being left alone, again. She remembered her life materializing before her eyes and then fading away seconds later, saying goodbye to herself. No, she was not going to give in so easily. After all, she hadn't done anything wrong. That story was something intimate, the experience saved only for herself. Even when Buck had been there, Amaya remembered how that moment of realization, the moment she could feel death breathing on her neck, was hers. Buck could get lucky again, finding a new group to join. One that was capable of keeping him safe and happy when in the meantime her clock ticked away. Fuck, she would make damn sure he was well taken care of before kissing her ass goodbye, whatever soon that was. Finally, she gathered enough courage to face whatever was coming.

"A... a bite." Fuck! Her voice betrayed her. She sounded like a scared little girl in front of her scolding mother. Amaya cleared her throat before trying again. "It's healing now, there's no danger." There, that sounded much more secure and calm. It wouldn't help her case much but it would keep things from getting even louder if that was possible. By then, she noticed Buck was awake and curled up on the pillow and behind his father, back to the headboard and eyeing both Tallahassee and Amaya back and forth. She gave him a reassuring smile and eyed Tallahassee. She couldn't turn around just yet, not with those clothes, or the lack thereof. Amaya reached and grabbed her leather jacket, putting it on to cover up her upper half. Slowly she turned around to face Tallahassee completely, only to find her situation was way worse than she thought. The muscular redneck was aiming his shotgun straight at her. Amaya was gonna have to prove her acting skills Oscar worthy if she wanted to keep her ass intact.

"Whoa whoa whoa, let's not lose out heads here, there's a child in the goddamn room." Her heart was beating faster than ever. She slowly lifted her hands halfway up in both surprise and surrender. For a brief moment brown eyes went to the pillow hiding the hunting knife almost imperceptibly. It wasn't fast enough for the man behind the gun not to notice.

"Don' even think 'bout that, sugar. This gun's faster than yer fake ass." His finger was dangerously tense around the trigger and a weird vein marked his forehead and shaved head.

"I told you, I'm not infected. Will you please put the FUCKING GUN DOWN? JESUS! Can we please talk like two grown adults?!"So much for her actress plan. Her hands were balled in fists and her eyes were going wattery and red.

"I ain't putting' nothing down 'till ya explain that shit! Damn, woman."

The room's door swung open and Columbus, Wichita and Little Rock stomped in from the room next door.

"What the fuck is going on here!" Columbus was holding his double barrel low in his hands. The girls were armed too but said nothing.

"THIS 'lil scoundrel's got a fucking bite an' she kept it to her damn self!" Fuck. There was a silence and the three youngsters stared at her open mouthed.

"And I haven't even felt feverish! There's been enough time for me to turn and I haven't! I'm fucking fine!" Amaya was feeling cornered, four cats chasing one mouse. Columbus and Wichita hesitated to get their guns up and aim but Little Rock didn't hesitate to follow Tallahassee.

"How did it happen?" Wichita's calmer tone eased her nerves. Amaya took a deep breath and stifled herself. Dammit, she was gonna have to take this chance and tell them everything if she wanted to earn their trust.

"It doesn't matter how it happened, you know the rules!" Columbus was faster.

"Shit, guys! She deserves to at least tell her side of the story before we put a bullet in her head!" Wichita countered. She softened her face when she turned to see Buck on the bed with tears streaming down his little face. She rushed to him and sat on the bed holding the boy in her arms.

"See? You're making him cry. Get talking!" Little Rock ordered in an arrogant tone. Amaya was simply not going to take it. 'Damn this gringo teens, this ain't the way MY mama raised me.'

"Listen up, _escuincla_. You wouldn't be so puffed up without that gun. Stop hiding and come get a piece of me, little bitch!" Amaya snapped with her arms opened asking for a fight. In the back of her head she knew how ridiculous it was to pick up a fight with a twelve-year-old and yet she didn't care.

"GIRLS PLEASE!" Columbus saved the day by interceding with a surprisingly authoritative tone. He pointed to Tallahassee and Little Rock. "You two put your guns down, fuck dammit. And you…" He turned towards Amaya. "…you better come clean with us if you don't want Tallahassee here to blow your ass off."

"Alright, alright, fine! God… Put the damn guns down and I'll start talking. Can I at least put my clothes on along with what's left of my dignity?" Amaya was trying to sound confident when in reality she was tucking her tail between her legs. The preteen and the huge man lowered their guns but kept their following gaze. They all waited for her to get dressed again. Columbus closed and locked the door while Wichita comforted a sobbing Buck. Little Rock leaned on the wall and Tallahassee resolved to pace back and forth the room, eyes never leaving the girl they came to call `Mexico´. Once all of them calmed down and Amaya was sitting on her bed fully clothed, she began.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer/AN: You know the drill. I own nothing from the Zombieland franchise except my OC. I really hope you like it and please take a minute to review, I am open to any suggestion. I´m not a native English speaker so let me know about any grammar or spelling mistake.**

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"It happened about two weeks ago, maybe three. Buck and I were driving west from New Mexico, just about to cross over to Arizona. Our supplies were practically nonexistent. The only thing that was keeping us alive was a half empty bottle of blue Gatorade we managed to find. The clouds grayed the sky and I remember a storm was on its way. Buck was sleeping in the back seat when I noticed we were approaching a small town along the highway. We stopped to get some rest in a house right next to a gas station, that way I'd fill up the tank and then we'd go right inside to get supplies and rest. I was so tired… I was afraid I'd fall asleep in the car and crash it in the middle of nowhere. I remember how hard it was to get Buck to sleep. He cried and cried and I could hear his belly grumbling, he was so hungry…" A tear began to break the still look in Amaya's face. Her deep brown eyes were staring into nothing and her head hung slightly low, at just the right angle for a moonlight stream to hit her eyes and make them seem almost surreal. Like the last glance of a woman who had dared to look straight into a basilisk's eyes. No one dared to interrupt her.

"I parked the car right next to the gas pump and I thought it would be best if I just left it there for the night. The first thing on our checklist was food and water; and we'd better find some in that old house. I woke him up and we got off the car. I had my rifle hanging from my shoulder and my pistol ready in my hand. The front door was locked but it was old and rusty enough to break in. I was sure I'd have a horrible bruise on my right arm after the third time I hit it before it opened. Inside there was a long hallway, the living room was at my right; I closed the door behind us. It was pitch dark and terribly silent. It was obvious that the people that used to live there had tried to board the windows. I double checked the living room before I looked up. There it was… the kitchen. From where I was in the living room I could see the doorless cabinets with a few boxes of supplies just sitting there, waiting. And water, so much water, there was a full water carboy on the floor. My stomach grumbled and I just stopped thinking. I called Buck in front of me and we just kept walking to where the food was. My mind was racing, my vision became blurry and the subtle sound of raindrops was muted. I could only think about how bad my hands and feet were shaking." Buck shifted awkwardly against Wichita's embrace. This was something he had never talked about, not even to his dad, and it was hard for him to relive it.

"When I looked down to Buck I saw something. He was walking along the counter dividing the kitchen from the dining room, I guess in the same muffled state I was because he wasn't looking ahead of him... It was my fault… At the end of the counter there was something on the floor, something pale green, slightly moving. By the time I realized what it was, Buck had already passed the counter... If you had seen the look on his face…" Amaya closed her eyes and brought her left hand to her face. "The horror on his face brought me back to Earth. I used every ounce of energy I had left in my body and lunged forward. I put my arm around him and picked him up from the floor just as a zombie's hand reached out for him. The bitch was ripped in half and his legs were piled up far in a corner behind his body. He must have been dragging himself around with his arms... Buck was fine off the floor. I wasn't fast enough…" Amaya was trying her hardest to keep her emotions in check, not wanting to show them how vulnerable she really felt. "By the time I was holding Buck with both of my arms, I felt the zombie's hands gripping and pulling my leg. I was so weak I couldn't even keep myself standing against his pulling. He knocked me down and I fell with Buck in my arms. I let go of him and he ran behind a tipped table… That's when I felt it." She paused, briefly looking up to see everyone's faces staring at her with shock and anticipation.

"He got my leg and as I looked down I could see his teeth burying themselves in my skin. I knew that was it. I screamed like I had never screamed before in my life. The pain was unbearable, like getting stabbed, but even worse than that was knowing my life was over. Its a painful slap in the face, you see? Knowing that your time is limited and running out with every heartbeat… I had enough sense to put a bullet through his head before he could take a second bite. I looked down and all I saw was red and black. There were teeth marks seeping blood through my pants and onto the tiled floor… There was so much of it... I searched for Buck and found him looking out from behind the table, crying. My leg was dripping blood and all I could think about... was how sweet and innocent Buck looked. I was more worried about memorizing each detail of his expression than about the throbbing pain that wasn't letting me get up. I just stayed there… lying down, letting everything sink in. I felt my eyes falling heavier and heavier but Buck pulling at my jacket kept me awake. I realized I was giving up. On him, on me, on everything, and I couldn't let that happen before I made sure my little boy was safe. Somehow I managed to sit up and tie the strap of my rifle to my leg. My hands were trembling too much to make a proper tight knot. I told Buck to pull one side and I pulled the other. That was going to slow things down a bit. I had to think of something to keep Buck alive… from myself." Amaya made a quick pause to pick up the small, half empty bottle of rum from her supply bag. She needed the warm comfort to finish her story. She made a light 'cheers' gesture and took a gulp. Placing the bottle back on the nightstand with a wince from the burn in her throat, she carried on.

"The first thing on the list was packing everything for Buck and whoever found him next. I stuffed all the food I could into the supply bag until the zipper couldn't go all the way up. Buck had his first real dinner in God knows how long and I ate and drank only what was strictly needed… No use wasting supplies on a dead girl. Things became quiet between us and I just didn't know how I was supposed to tell him… that I was dying. That whether either of us liked it or not… he'd be alone again and someone would have to put me down like a mad dog." She let a sob and a sniff escape to release some of her emotions, her voice cracking at the last bit. She was feeling guilty for not talking about it with Buck; he was so young and she hadn't helped him wrap his mind around the way this new and sick world operated now. Had been too worried about preserving the last bits of his innocence. She didn't even know what he'd been thinking or how it affected him. Amaya took a mental note to work on that.

"I ripped a long strip of old wallpaper from the living room and wrote *HELP, SURVIVORS INSIDE* with a marker. I was too weak to place it high on the house so I just pasted it outside on the boarded windows next to the front door with duct tape. I know it sounds like a lame attempt for help but I didn't have enough time to work a proper plan. I was starting to feel lightheaded but I just couldn't stop now. That little boy was looking at me from the couch with uncertainty... It felt so wrong just leaving him to fend for himself… Suddenly my wounded leg just gave out. I fell to the floor and Buck ran to me. I held on to him for the longest time just crying into his hair. I was holding him so tightly I thought we'd fuse together. My time was running out but at least I wasn't gonna regret not saying goodbye. I limped my way to the second floor to the master bedroom and into the walk-in closet. I lit up a few candles from downstairs for the night before I grabbed a few belts from the rack and tied my ankles together and kneeled facing the wall; then I made a tight knot around my wrists using my mouth and secured them to the closet rack tube that seemed sturdy enough. Buck simply watched me do it from the huge bed. He looked ready for a trip to the mountains with his little sweater and his massive bag with food and water. I told him everything he needed to know, about locking the closet door when the time came and using my weapons if he ever had to defend himself. I hated myself for it… no kid should hold a gun at his age…" When Amaya eyed Buck from her place at the bed her loving gaze was returned. He had been forced to grow up that day but he was a smart boy, he understood more than she thought. Amaya smirked and let a tear roll down her face.

"He refused to sleep on the bed despite my insistence. I remarked how he had to get away from me the second he noticed I was… gone, replaced by a monster. He dragged a blanket to where I was in the closet and laid down beside me. He was't going to leave my side. I kept telling him silly jokes to liven up the mood and he kept laughing. That sweet, honest laughter… that was the only thing I needed to hear to go in peace… The night fell and my condition got worse when the fever reached its highest. It was still dark outside and the candles we found were still burning. My clothes were drenched in sweat but I felt I was freezing solid. That's when I told him everything I wanted him to know. How much I loved him, more than my own life. How he saved my life by giving it purpose and how his company kept me sane. He cried and told me he'd miss me and how…" Amaya couldn't keep it in this time. She brought her hands to her face and let out a wail. Buck untangled himself from Wichita's arms and scrambled to her. Tallahassee reached out to stop him and bring him back to his safety. Columbus placed a hand on his shoulders and stopped him. He shook his head and mouthed 'Let him'. Tallahassee hesitated but pulled his arm back. The little blond jumped with open arms to her. She placed him on her lap and they both held each other, crying together. With muffled words she continued her story.

"…he told me how I'd been like his mama… And I gave him something to remember me."

"The dreamcatcher." Tallahassee interrupted. He had discovered an improvised leather string necklace with a tiny silver dreamcatcher around Buck's neck when he was giving him a bath. When he asked his son about it he simply answered it was a gift and avoided every other questions about it. This was something strange to Tallahassee since Buck had always been so open to him but decided to let it go.

Amaya nodded. "I told him to take it off my neck and put it on himself. That it was his to keep forever." She uncovered the amulet hidden under Buck's t-shirt and sweater for everyone to see. It glinted in the moonlight on Amaya's palm before being put back again under the boy's layers of clothing.

"I had to let my last moments be all about what gave my life meaning all this months. So I sang to him the way I used to sing back at home." She remembered the song, replaying it in her mind. This wasn't one of the lively songs she used to play at her workplace; no, this was something she remembered singing to Ismael, her nephew, a few nights before her journey to Florida. He loved watching Disney's Dumbo despite his mother crying every time. The tender moment between the baby elephant and his chained mother seemed rather fitting for a last song.

"The second I stopped singing everything went black. I could still hear Buck calling out to me but I couldn't force my eyes open. I feared how he would have to get himself out of this one. He was alone and defenseless the way a bear cub is left next to his dead mother after a hunter has shot her... Then I felt nothing. Not even Buck's voice. I felt replaced by someone else, my thoughts turning completely opposite, filled with... madness and disturbance. My eyes darted open and all I could feel was… hate, like I would kill anyone I could lay my hands upon... It all seemed like a nightmare. Every color I saw was either red or black; and a smell, taunting me and making me squirm and try to pull myself free. I can only remember bits of it, like separate scenes of a horror movie pasted together... I could feel a sharp pain in my wrists but I didn't care. I screamed my hate and hunger out. That smell, coming from the slits in the closet door… At that moment I wasn't aware the the only sound I could hear wasn't just my growling but also crying and sobbing." She looked down to Buck. They had both calmed down and the only evidence of their sadness were their reddened eyes. It was late at night and it had been an exhausting day. Buck settled himself to sleep in Amaya's arms.

"I can't remember when I lost consciousness again but when I woke up it was daytime. I was even more tired than when we got to the house, my eyes barely opening to slits. My legs had given out and I wasn't kneeling anymore, more like hanging from the tube. I realized the red vision was gone and that the carpet returned to its original camel tone. I was so thirsty and my lips felt dry and cracked open. I didn't know where Buck was or if he had been rescued or not... I pulled my tied legs and tried to push the closet door open but it was too far and all I could manage were a few light knocks... Then I heard him, calling out my name questioningly. I tried to scream 'help' but it only came out as a hoarse mumble. My throat was killing me. I heard Buck unlock the door and open it, letting the sunlight hit my face until my eyeballs felt like they were melting. He didn't come to me immediately and hesitated when he called my name again. I forced my face into a smile and... next thing I know his arms were around my neck. I was so dry I couldn't even make tears as I cried again. Buck helped me cut the belts with my knife. My wrists had been bleeding from the deep chafing. Once I was free, it took me a couple of hours to walk again so I ate and drank on the floor what I hadn't since I got bit. I thought I had slept for the rest of the previous night, until Buck told me I'd been a zombie for an entire day after that first night, then I went quiet and came back to myself after a second night at that house. I can only assume that I was simply passed out during that second night." Buck was now cradled in Amaya's arms, exhausted from the agitation and sleeping placidly. "We stayed there for a couple more days until there was nothing worth the trouble left in that town, and we drove off." Mexico realized she'd been stared at for the last minutes, and they all had pity faces. She'd been starved, run over and returned from the dead; like hell she was gonna let them feel pity for her.

"I-I'm sorry... We didn't know you had..." Columbus was trying to calm things down, before anyone lifted their guns again. Amaya dismissed him with a had gesture and an easy smile.

"No, no. I understand. Perhaps I should've told you sooner..." She stood from her spot carefully to lay Buck down again on Tallahassee's bed and kissed his forhead before standing straight. "I'm... I'm just gonna go outside for a bit. I need some air." Her voice cracked a bit at the end. Everyone could see she was trying hard to keep her tears at bay. Amaya grabbed her knife from under the pillow and a beaten up cigarette; her lighter in the front jean pocket. Then outside, began walking down the hallway and stairs to the wide main garden.

Everyone was left speechless after she stepped outside. Tallahassee was sure she was hiding her bite because she'd turn at some point. He never expected to hear Mexico had ALREADY gone that way. Wichita gave Tallahassee a scolding look.

"You should go talk to her. Apologize for pulling a gun on her." Wichita turned her head towards her little sister. "You too. And don't give me that look. That was crossing the line ever for you."

Little Rock rolled her eyes and stepped away from the wall. "Did you hear what she called me?!"

"Yeah, a girl flipping out at two guns aiming at her head!" Wichita countered. Tallahassee remained quiet, too busy re-tucking his son in bed.

"Guys, can we do this outside? I don't think it'd be a good idea to wake Buck up again..." Columbus was worried about Tallahassee's reaction. He was never this serious or quiet, he always had a sarcastic retort. They all agreed silently and stepped outside to the railing overlooking the garden. A loose brick was put on the floor to prevent the door from closing entirely.

"Alright lil spitfuck, whats yer plan?"

"I say we give her a moment, then you should talk to her. Let her know she's in the group."

"Whoa! Are we seriously letting her in?"

"Lil Rock, I ain't just shooin' her away after literally givin' up her ass for Buck. She deserves a chance."

"Yeah, she does. And she also deserves to watch your face say 'I'm sorry for being such a dick.'"

"Ya just ain't letting that go, are ya?"

"I think the same. Tal, you gotta go talk to her. Maybe Little Rock should wait until tomorrow."

"Man, yer girfriend really has ya tied on a leash from your weenie balls, don't she?" Tallahassee's sense of humor was back. Columbus gave him a stern look but ignored the comment.

"Still, I don't think she's letting go of Buck anytime soon so we better start off with her with the right foot... After all..." Columbus looked down the railway and saw her figure pacing around the garden, the only light coming from her lit cigarette. "... we're the only family she's got now." He felt a pang of empathy. He knew very well what it felt like to want to return home and see your family but knowing there'd be nobody left.

"Fine... But I'm still keeping an eye on her!" Little Rock's anger had faded enough. She turned around and headed back to her motel room. Wichita, Columbus and Tallahassee stayed outside.

"So? What are you waiting for? You're not gonna leave her out here." Wichita insisted.

"Alright, alright, I'm going!" Tallahassee raised his hands surrendering to Wichita's orders. He began walking down the stairs, leaving Columbus to watch Buck while Wichita went back to bed.

As he was nearing the bottom of the stairs he glanced out to the garden. Mexico was nowhere near him. He began walking and looking around, trying to locate her. Finally he saw a thin smoke trail coming from beside a tree, an orange sparkle giving out the location of her face. She was lying down on a hammock, right beside the pool area fence.

* * *

 **I´m awful at making cliffhangers, I know. Review plz! It really helps to know what kind of writing choices I should make.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I am terribly sorry for not having posted in a very very long time. College sometimes gets jealous of Fanfic writing and takes up all my time. But anyho! Here it is finally, a new chapter. Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC. Enjoy :)**

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He began walking towards her, shotgun in hand and looking in all directions for unwanted visitors. He held on tighter to his snakeskin jacket when a cold breeze made his body shiver a bit. He decided to play things casual, almost like small talk but without directly apologizing. He was too damn stubborn for that. As he got closer and closer, he realized she'd been sobbing and felt guilt creep up on him. His footsteps became louder on the dry grass, giving out his movement. He stopped abruptly when Mexico turned her head to eye him with a wounded look, almost warning him not to step any closer. Tallahassee didn't buy it. She was short and frail, even more compared to him and now that he'd seen her break down with Buck in her arms, he knew she was more scared of him now that he'd ever be of her. There weren't any tears but the red in her eyes was clear evidence she had cried away her pent up frustration.

"What do _you_ want? Up for round two I guess?" She accused in a wobbly voice.

"Hey, I'm here in peace." He raised his gun and hands in surrender. "Jus' wanna talk to ya." Tallahassee kept a calm tone.

"Yeah, well, looks like I brought a knife to a gun fight." She answered in a defeated tone eyeing his weapon. She knew he wouldn't give up easily. Tallahassee chuckled a bit.

"Guess yer right." He dragged a forgotten garden chair parallel to the hammock and sat quietly for a few seconds, thinking his next move. He was rusty when it came to talking this closely, intimately, to women; last time being with Buck's mother right before she up and left them.

"Not that I'm saying' sorry but ya gotta understand, sweet cheeks. I was worried 'bout Buck. These days ya get bit and it's a one way ticket to paradise." He looked at her, only being able to distinguish her black silhouette stretched all the length of the hammock under the tree. The orange sparkle intensified then dimmed again, right before a long stream of smoke exited her mouth.

"Then I guess I'm not welcome there 'cause they sent me right back to Hell." She kept looking ahead, only keeping track of his movements with peripheral vision. She knocked the ash of the cigarette with a tap of her thumb against the filter. "But yeah, I get what you're saying." He sighed. She wasn't gonna play it easy.

"I do kinda owe ya big time… for Buck… after what happened to ya…" He hadn't finished that sentence when Mexico interrupted him.

"No. Just don't. _Please_ don't... Are you really gonna give me your goddamn pity after you pointed that very shotgun at my face? I may be a fucking wimp, but I do have my pride."

"Damnit woman, jus' listen. I'm no innocent here, I know that. I admit I may have been a bit too harsh on ya, and it takes serious cojones to get bit and jus' shake it off. I'm not tryin' to smug ya with pity, but I've never seen anyone pull that off with the braindeads out there. And that's no easy trick."

"Damn right it isn't! Listen, I'm just as committed in Buck's life as you are. I at least deserved to be asked without everyone in the room against me."

"And what didya want me to do?! Wait 'till mornin' and pray ya didn't turn into a rabid fucker on us?!"

"Oh, _please_! It's just a scar now and you know it. Did you honestly believe I'd casually turn the exact day you found us? Pff, just admit it, you were scared and saw the easy way in shooting me down like a mad dog. Better luck next time…" She took another drag and puffed out the smoke through her nose. She waited for his answer but instead got silence. She turned her head slightly and saw him staring at the ground. His fingers drawing circles on his gun.

"I was… afraid, I mean. But ya can bet that freckle on yer ass I didn't wanna shoot ya down jus' because. I owe ya more than I can tell… Been too long without Buck and I ain't planning to let him leave m'sight again." Her eyes widened briefly at the mention of her ass and the accuracy of the statement, her cheeks blushing slightly. Good for her the shadow of the tree masked her expression.

"And I'd _never_ do anything to hurt him. I can promise you that. I've grown too attached to that boy and if anyone's ass is in any danger because of that, it's mine."

"Ya really think I´ll leave yer ass uncovered? Yer part o´this team now, sweet cheeks."

"Ok..? Having that settled do you admit that it was a complete dick move to aim a gun at my face with Buck in the room for no reason?"

"Get that wax off yer ears cupcake, ya had a bite."

Her voice went down to a pleading tone. She was getting tired of this games. "Then what is this?" She made a gesture to signal between them. "I just told you about the worst experience of my life and you don't even regret almost ending my life... I really don't see where you're getting at or what you're here to say."

" _I'm saying_ , that I may have… overreacted." His hand came up to scratch the back of his neck. "And that I'd like to uhm… make amends 'tween us… I guess. Pulling a gun on ya wasn´t the best idea but I didn´t see another way."

Her shadow-veiled expression hid a slight smirk. She knew this type of men, too wrapped up in his man-pride to make a proper apology. He was trying to make one without making himself look like the jackass. This was the perfect opportunity to pick on him a bit.

"So, you're trying to say sorry? Hm, you don't look the part, tough guy." She teased. Her anger was actually put down after yelling her frustration at him. She turned to his direction, examining his body for any sign of discomfort. Mexico was pleased to see that he was actually shifting in his seat at her question. She smiled and offered the remaining cigarette half to Tallahassee. He grabbed it and took a long drag before handing it back.

"Maybe." He smiled back.

Mexico couldn't help but chuckle. "Apology accepted. Though next time I'll have my gun ready. See who's better with a gun, cowboy… And don't talk about my ass again."

"Yeah, right, we'll see 'bout that." His nervousness hadn't faded completely, but he was relieved to see her smile again.

"About what, the gun or my ass?" She kept teasing through a cloud of smoke.

"'Bout the gun, 'course. Ain't never gonna stop teasin' 'bout yer ass, sweet cheeks. Not that ya could beat me with a gun either way." Tallahassee felt like himself again. She just laughed back at his comment and finished her cigarette. Truthfully it didn't go exactly as planned but at least he felt they could start over. Maybe even grow closer…

What? Wait a minute. Where did that come from? He just met this girl, who saved his son, yes, but he almost killed her in the same day. He scolded himself in his mind and shook his head almost unnoticeably. Tallahassee decided to blame the slight guilt he had felt for the girl, of course it couldn't be more that just that. It had certainly been a busy day. His eyes were growing tired and it wouldn't do to waste precious hours of sleep. He began to rise from his chair to go back to his bed.

"Hey suga', ya coming?" He was hoping she'd be comfortable enough to go back to sleep in the motel room instead of out here.

"Huh? Oh, uhm, yeah, I'll catch up in a minute." She seemed distant and lost in thought, never looking at him as he turned his back to her and began walking across the garden. Tallahassee decided to let her be. She seemed like a smart enough girl to know it was better to sleep inside. He wasn't done taking three steps when he heard her voice again, almost a whisper.

"Wait. Did you hear that?"

His zombie hunter mask was back on. Tallahassee immediately halted his steps and listened… Nothing. Dead silent… There. Some rustle, hopefully an animal struggling to untangle itself from the vines dripping from the wall of the motel.

"There. I think it´s coming from those trees." She said, pointing at the far end of the garden where a circle of trees and bushes enclosed a small bench area . A pair of shadows emerged into the moonlight, tumbling and snarling. They could see both zombies used to be men, one with a loose light blue checkered shirt and the other with a police uniform. Both had soulless black eyes and blood dripped from their mouths. The glow of the moonlight made the red fluid look almost as black as their eyes. The were getting closer with each troubled, hurried step, clothes ripped and filthy. Mexico somehow untangled her body from the hammock she had caught herself in before standing with her knife in hand ready to strike. Tallahassee beat her to it, since he was already striding confidently towards the zombies with his shotgun up and aimed.

"Wait! If you shoot them the sound may attract more from around!" She held her hand up to stop him. He halted and grumbled something about 'the fucking zombies' before lowering his gun. Tallahassee eyed a big fallen branch on the ground, similar in size to a baseball bat, and picked it up with an evil grin on his face.

* * *

Columbus stayed behind in Tallahassee´s room. He decided to take a seat on the end of the bed Buck was currently occupying. The boy was struggling to keep his eyes open as he waited under the blanket for his dad to come back.

"Is she gonna have to go?" Columbus heard him whisper in the most innocent voice.

"W-what? Uhm no, no, of course not! We were just kinda surprised when… well… you know. Don´t worry about that, little guy." Columbus said calmly. Buck nodded and smiled before settling down to sleep.

Columbus stared at him for a minute. He could see every bit of Tallahassee in that boy´s face. He couldn´t blame Mexico for taking him in despite it breaking rule 17: Don´t be a hero. They were both part of their rag tag family now and they´d be protected. Sure, it would take time and patience, mainly from Mexico towards Tal´s sarcastic retorts, but their team was growing. Living by himself was nice, specially after the incident with the girl from apartment 406, but Columbus couldn´t help admitting to himself that it was far better to live in a group surrounded by friendly people than out there fighting the undead alone.

He was lost in thought and didn´t hear Wichita creep in silently and closing the door as far as the brick allowed.

"Hey. Is he ok?" She asked in a whisper. Though she had been careful, Columbus startled in surprise. This made Wichita chuckle lightly and Columbus smile and scratch his neck.

"Uhm, yeah. He just fell asleep. I guess he must be exhausted from the day´s events."

"I can´t imagine being either of them when Mexico got bit. I guess they´re lucky she somehow made it." She stared at Buck´s sleeping form before continuing. "But enough of that. I´m sure this will all be over in the morning… or maybe a few days… or not at all." She bugged her eyes out briefly for emphasis. Wichita wandered over to Columbus and stopped in front of him. She teasingly leaned down and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Plus, I think it´s gonna be good for us, you know? Little Rock won´t feel patronized like the little girl of the house anymore and Tal, well… he´ll have someone to put up with his antics.

Columbus opened his eyes slowly, still embraced to the remaining tingling of the kiss. "What? What do you mean?" He forrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes at her.

"Little Rock and I made a bet and I figured you´d like to be in it as well. Two Monster cans and a free weapon cleaning for the winner."

Columbus´ suspicion turned to curiosity. He raised his brow and nodded for her to go on.

"I give Tallahassee and Mexico three weeks to _get it on_. Little Rock says it won´t happen at all. What about you?" Her right hand settled on her hip as she sat down next to him, careful not to wake the sleeping boy.

"Hmm, interesting. Well, I think a month is a bit too soon, specially after what just happened." Columbus eyed Buck and Wichita nodded in agreement. "I´m gonna give those two at least a good five weeks." He showed her a proud smile and waited for her reaction. She gave him an exited smile and shook his hand to close the deal.

"Very well Mr. Columbus. Five weeks is your final bet." She said proudly. His smile dropped for a moment before reappearing.

"Daniel."

It was her turn to put a serious face.

"What?"

* * *

"Cop or checkered?" He asked. Her eyes scanned both zombies.

"What? Uhm, checkered." She went for the easy one since her condition hadn´t improved much yet. Tallahassee´s built body guaranteed a kill whatever he picked. As the zombies sprinted towards them, a third one emerged from the tree shadows, this time with a white sleeveless shirt.

Her knife failed at the first attempt to the head. It stabbed the zombie just below his ear. Sadly, it didn´t stop him from trying to take a bite out of her. Luckily that didn´t stop her either. Mexico used her left hand on his neck to push the zombie away and stab his brain properly. Tallahassee on the other hand, was easily smashing the cop´s brains on the floor with the fallen branch.

The sleeveless zombie rapidly aproached her with red drool on his face. Mexico was more than ready now. She raised her knife and braced herself for the tackle. She took a deep breath and sprinted back at the zombie.

Just as she was about to jump to the zombie´s neck, it slammed to the ground. Mexico didn´t have enough time to stop her body when she realized the zombie´s own corpse had gone limp after Tallahassee knocked him into tomorrow. It all seemed like a slow motion scene. She could only drop her knife mid-air and avoid stabbing Tallahassee on the face. Their bodies crashing, the momentum pushing him backwards while his arms snaked around her and his hat being knocked off his head. The fall made Tallahassee grunt and instinctively hold her tighter. She landed on top of him, straddling his hips with both her palms on the grass on each side of his head.

The awkward moment could have ended had there been more zombies but unfortunately the last one of them lay dead a few feet away from them. Their bodies somehow fitted perfectly and their rapid breathing synchronized. They both stayed there locked to one another's eyes. Sapphire blue fusing with chocolate brown. Tallahassee began to draw a confident grin, pulling Mexico out of the daze.

"Had I known ya were so damn impatient, I´d 've taken care a 'that sooner sweetheart." His hands traveled from her back to her hips, dangerously low. She couldn't avoid to slightly grin as she rolled her eyes and slapped him on his bicep, earning a playful chuckle from the man. She sat up and pushed herself to stand using the support of his chest.

"Oh please, if anyone is desperate to get something that´s you."

"I didn´t throw m'self to your arms like in a damn fairytale."

"And I didn´t get touchy with three dead corpses less than ten feet away from me."

Tallahassee raised his arms in defeat. "Point taken."

"Ok, I think this is the best opportunity to head back inside." She picked up her knife from the ground and began walking back to the motel room, Tallahassee following close behind dusting his hat.

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Columbus fidgeted a bit in his place.

"Uhm, well, you know. I just thought that it´d be fair if, i dunno, I told you my name. The fact that I already know yours is the perfect excuse to tell you mine." He chuckled a bit. "Life is too short for second chances. They rarely happen…" The signaled towards Buck, who was soundly sleeping in the arms of Morpheus. "… but I´m not gonna wait to see if I get one. I´m not planning to die in Zombieland with regrets."

Wichita´s eyes turned watery and she unsuccesfully tried to supress an ear to ear smile. Her hand came up to wipe a rebelious tear and then threw her arms around Columbus' neck.

"Daniel it is."

As soon as their lips met Tallahassee and Mexico were at the door making the young couple startle. The blush in their cheeks had not dissipated and they seemed awkward between them.

"Hey. You guys ok?" Wichita asked, noticing the red tinto n Mexico´s cheeks.

"Yep, found three dummies out in the far side of the yard. We took care of them." Mexico said as nonchalantly as possible.

"Ok then, I guess each goes back to their respective rooms. Everything cool between you two?" Columbus seemed genuinely concerned.

"Jus' peachy." A cocky smirk was directed towards Mexico but she decided to act like she didn´t noticed.

"Alright then, goodnight guys."

"See ya tomorrow."

When the younger couple moved the brick/doorstep and closed the door, Mexico simply took her shoes and jacket off and plopped herself on her bed, wrapping herself in the warmth of the bed. She was dead asleep the minute her head hit the pillow. Tallahassee went to a similar destination. He embraced Buck with his arms and covered them with the sheets and blankets. A new day awaited for the group.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

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 **The name agreement, yes, I partly broke it. I regret nothing ;). Columbus´s name has a reason to be. Suggestions and grammar/spelling mistakes are always welcome.**


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